U.S. patent number 11,411,931 [Application Number 15/650,489] was granted by the patent office on 2022-08-09 for method and apparatus to enable a market in used digital content.
This patent grant is currently assigned to INTEGIC TECHNOLOGIES LLC. The grantee listed for this patent is Integic Technologies LLC. Invention is credited to Edward P. Flinchem, William L. Valenti.
United States Patent |
11,411,931 |
Valenti , et al. |
August 9, 2022 |
Method and apparatus to enable a market in used digital content
Abstract
Methods and apparatus to enable a distinction between "new" and
"used" digital content and to enable a market in used digital
content files between mobile phone terminals and an electronic
store, securely, by means of a wireless telephony network and a
server complex to handle contents right management, transaction
reporting, inventory, content delivery, payment, and billing. A
server receives a signal generated by a wireless user device that
was sent over a wireless telephony network. The signal indicates an
election for returning at least one previously purchased digital
content item. The server deletes user rights for the at least one
digital content item identified by the received signal and sends
information to the user device that generated the signal. Access to
the associated digital content item at the user device is removed
according to the sent information.
Inventors: |
Valenti; William L. (Seattle,
WA), Flinchem; Edward P. (Seattle, WA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Integic Technologies LLC |
Wilmington |
DE |
US |
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Assignee: |
INTEGIC TECHNOLOGIES LLC
(Wilmington, DE)
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Family
ID: |
1000006484440 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/650,489 |
Filed: |
July 14, 2017 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20180007018 A1 |
Jan 4, 2018 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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11285781 |
Nov 21, 2005 |
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60631704 |
Nov 30, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
21/10 (20130101); H04L 9/0891 (20130101); H04L
63/0428 (20130101); G06F 21/35 (20130101); G06F
2221/2135 (20130101); H04L 2463/081 (20130101); H04L
2463/062 (20130101); H04L 2209/603 (20130101); H04L
2209/56 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04L
9/40 (20220101); G06F 21/10 (20130101); G06F
21/35 (20130101); H04L 9/08 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;705/1,4,59 ;713/201
;455/575 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
The International Preliminary Report on Patentability for
PCT/US2005/043142 dated Jun. 5, 2007. cited by applicant .
The International Search Report and Written Opinion for
PCT/US2005/43142 dated Aug. 18, 2006. cited by applicant .
Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Mar. 11,
2009. cited by applicant .
Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Dec. 23,
2009. cited by applicant .
Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated May 4,
2015. cited by applicant .
Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Aug. 11,
2011. cited by applicant .
Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Sep. 8,
2016. cited by applicant .
Microsoft Press, Microsoft Computer Dictionary, Fifth Edition,
Published 2002, p. 159. cited by applicant .
Non-Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Nov. 7,
2014. cited by applicant .
Non-Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Feb.
16, 2011. cited by applicant .
Non-Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Mar. 8,
2016. cited by applicant .
Non-Final Office Action on U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Sep.
11, 2008. cited by applicant .
Non-Final Office Action U.S. Appl. No. 11/285,781, dated Jun. 10,
2009. cited by applicant.
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Primary Examiner: McAtee; Patrick
Assistant Examiner: Leffall-Allen; Nakia
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Foley & Lardner LLP
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.
11/285,781, filed Nov. 21, 2005, which claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Application 60/631,704, filed Nov. 30, 2004,
incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method comprising: receiving, by a processing device at a
digital rights management control computer, digital content from a
server; retrieving, by the processing device, a second key
configured to decrypt the received digital content from the server
into decrypted digital content; encrypting, by the processing
device, the digital content using a unique digital content key;
encrypting, by the processing device, the unique digital content
key using the second key; sending, from the processing device, to a
user device the encrypted digital content and the encrypted unique
digital content key; and receiving an indication at the processing
device from the user device that, the received encrypted digital
content is not complete, and, in response to receiving the
indication, sending, a complete copy of the digital content or
providing an error indication.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the
processing device, a first encrypted unique digital content
key.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the
processing device, a second encrypted unique digital content
key.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising decrypting, by the
processing device, the second encrypted unique digital content key
and saving the decrypted second encrypted unique digital content
key at the digital rights management control.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, by the
processing device, the received digital content if the received
digital content is complete.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique digital content key
comprises a random number and an identification string.
7. A system comprising: a user device; a digital rights management
control computer; and a processing device at the digital rights
management control computer communicatively connected to the user
device, wherein the processing device executes programmed
instructions to perform operations including: receiving digital
content from a server; retrieve a second key that decrypts the
received digital content from the server; encrypt the digital
content using a unique digital content key; encrypt the unique
digital content key using the second key, send to a user device the
encrypted digital content and the encrypted unique digital content
key; and receive an indication at the processing device from the
user device that the received digital content is not complete, and,
in response to receiving the indication, send a complete copy of
the digital content or provide an error indication.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing device further
performs operations including receiving at the processing device a
first encrypted unique digital content key.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing device is further
performs operations including receiving a second encrypted unique
digital content key.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing device further
performs operations including decrypting the second encrypted
unique digital content key and saving the decrypted second
encrypted unique digital content key at the digital rights
management control computer as the second key.
11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing device is further
configured to present the received digital content at the user
device if the received digital content is complete.
12. The system of claim 7, wherein the unique digital content key
comprises a random number and an identification string.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Digital content, such as music, games and video, are becoming more
and more central to the world economy. The transaction of digital
content is a general transfer of data and data communications over
a network, such as the Internet.
With regard to the rights to use the digital content, the prior art
takes a defensive posture that is focused on guarding the digital
content against unauthorized access, duplication and use.
Limitations are placed on the use and distribution of a piece of
digital content, and various means are used to attempt to enforce
these limitations. Oftentimes, the limitations can be easily
circumvented, and so enforcement can be difficult and therefore is
mostly ineffective.
Present methods for attaining rights to use a piece of digital
content are focused on resolving digital rights issues as they
pertain to digital content delivery between an end desktop computer
and a controlling server. Little has been done to generate a
digital rights management system that operates at least in part
over a data telephony network.
Therefore, there exists a need to provide a secured digital content
data transmission system that allows recipients some secure control
over transmission of digital content.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides methods and apparatus to enable a
distinction between "new" and "used" digital content and to enable
a market in used digital content files between mobile phone
terminals and an electronic store, securely, by means of a wireless
telephony network and a server complex to handle contents right
management, transaction reporting, inventory, content delivery,
payment, and billing.
In one embodiment, a method for deleting rights to one or more
digital content items at a wireless user device in a digital rights
management environment is provided. A server receives a signal
generated by a wireless user device that was sent over a wireless
telephony network. The signal indicates an election for returning
at least one previously purchased digital content item. The server
deletes user rights for the at least one digital content item
identified by the received signal and sends information to the user
device that generated the signal. Access to the associated digital
content item at the user device is removed according to the sent
information.
In another embodiment, the server generates a new digital key and
encrypts the new digital key, a previously generated random number,
and an id string associated with the user device using a digital
key previously confirmed by use of at least two distinct networks.
The server also determines the digital content items the user has
user rights for and encrypts one or more digital content keys
associated using the new digital key based on the determination.
The encrypted new digital key and the encrypted one or more digital
content keys are sent to the user device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention
are described in detail below with reference to the following
drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an example system formed in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary diagram performed by some of the
components shown in FIG. 1 for providing secure access between user
devices and a digital rights management system;
FIG. 3 illustrates a process for delivery of digital content
performed by some of the components shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 illustrates a process for returning digital content in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 illustrates an example process for purchasing of used
digital content in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Methods and apparatus to enable a distinction between "new" and
"used" digital content and to enable a market in used digital
content files between mobile phone terminals and an electronic
store, securely, by means of a wireless telephony network and a
server complex to handle contents right management, transaction
reporting, inventory, content delivery, payment, and billing.
In one embodiment, a mobile phone enables a consumer to engage in a
retail transaction to purchase digital content that is downloaded
to their phone over the air, such that a copy of the content then
resides persistently on their phone for their ongoing use. Any
consumer so enabled with a mobile phone may give up their rights to
and access to a piece of digital content to which they had
previously purchased legitimate rights from an electronic store in
exchange for credit or payment. Analogous to the buying and selling
of used compact discs (physical media), the electronic buying and
selling of used digital content would entail the exchange of a
finite supply of unique entities, in this case sequences of digital
information, with the following properties: 1) each entity is
unique, 2) each entity is in the possession of only one individual
or organization at a time, 3) entities may not be copied and then
successfully exchanged as if they were originals to gain additional
value, 4) only certain authorized organizations may generate new
entities (i.e., unauthorized organizations can not generate useful
counterfeit entities).
The content being bought and sold may take the form of music,
pictures, ring tones, animations, video clips, icons, audio files,
text information, multimedia combinations of any number of the
previous types, or any other type of content for which a digital
format may be defined.
As shown in FIG. 1, a system 20 performs secure transmission of
digital content in order to allow for expanded commercial
opportunities. The system 20 includes a plurality of user devices
24 and 26 that are in wireless communication with a server 28 via
first and second data networks 30 and 32. Examples of the user
devices include any of the number of various forms of wireless
devices, such as cellular phones, personal data assistance, palmtop
or laptop computers, etc. The server 28 is a computer system with
local memory that is also directly or indirectly in communication
with one of a number of digital content provider/owners 42 and one
or more financial institutions 44. In one embodiment, the server 28
is in communication with the digital content provider/owners 42 and
the financial institutions 44 over a network 40. A store 48 is in
data communication with the user devices 24 and 26 directly or
indirectly over any of the networks or via the server 28.
The user devices 24 and 26 use the networks 30 and 32 to separately
transmit different data associated with an encryption method to the
server 28. The server 28 authenticates each user device 24 and 26
based on the received data and provides each of the user devices 24
and 26 with new secret encryption keys. The new secret encryption
keys are used to decrypt digital content requested by the user
devices 24 and 26 that are sent from the server 28. The server 28
either directly compensates digital content provider/owner for the
sale of associated digital content to the users of the user devices
24 and 26 or provides some other form of compensation (e.g.,
credit) with the aid of the financial institution 44.
Information pertaining to users' rights to digital content is
stored in a users' rights storage unit 52 that is in direct or
indirect or indirect data communication with the server 28 or the
store 48.
Information pertaining to used digital content is stored in a
storage unit 50 that includes an inventory of used digital content
or just a record of what digital content has been returned. The
storage unit 50 is in direct or indirect or indirect data
communication with the server 28 or the store 48. The devices
In one embodiment, the networks 30 and 32 are distinct networks
from each other, such as a wireless cellular data network and a
short message service center (SMSC). The wireless cellular data
network may be any one of a general packet radio service (GPRS),
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Enhanced Data GSM Environment
(EDGE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wideband
Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Wireless Fidelity (WIFI),
Bluetooth or comparable network. The network 40 is one of a private
or public data network, such as the Internet.
In one embodiment, rights are attained according to the following
process. As shown in FIG. 2, at a block 120, a user device
generates a random number and a first key. At a block 122, the user
device encrypts an identification (id) string associated with the
user device and the random number using the first key. At a block
126, the encrypted id string and random number are sent to the
server via a first transmission means, i.e., a first network 30. At
a block 128, the random number and the first key are sent
unencrypted to the server 28 via a second transmission means, i.e.
the second network 32. Then at a block 130, the server 28 decrypts
the received encrypted message using the first key received via the
second transmission means. At a block 134, the server 28 generates
a second key, if the decrypted random number matches the random
number received via the second transmission means. At a block 136,
the server 28 encrypts the random number, the id string, and the
second key using the first key and at a block 138, sends this new
encrypted package to the user device. At a block 140, the user
device decrypts the received package using the first key and saves
the second key. At a block 144, the server 28 creates and saves a
new user record using the id string and stores the second key in
the record.
As shown in FIG. 3, at a block 200, a user device 24 or 26 sends a
request for digital content to the server 28. At a block 202, the
server 28 retrieves the requested digital content. The server 28
may retrieve digital content from a local storage device or may
retrieve it from the digital content provider/owners 42 or from
some other source over the network 40. At a block 204, the server
28 retrieves the second key stored for the user associated with the
request, if the request is valid. At a block 206, the server 28
encrypts the requested digital content using a unique digital
content key. At a block 208, the server 28 encrypts the unique
digital content key using the retrieved second key and, at a block
210, sends the encrypted unique digital content key and digital
content to the user device that made the digital content request.
At a block 214, the user device decrypts the unique digital content
key using the previously stored second key. At a block 216, the
user device decrypts the digital content using the unique digital
content key. At a decision block 218, the user device determines if
the entire digital content was received. If the entire digital
content was not received, then at block 220, the user device
requests that the server 28 resends and/or indicates an error. If
the digital content was properly received, then at block 224 the
server 28 completes a billing transaction. The steps of decrypting
214 and 216 may be performed when a user desires presentation of
the digital content--after block 218 or 224.
FIG. 4 illustrates an example process 300 performed in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention. First at 304, a user
elects to return an item (digital content) to the store 48 on their
wireless terminal (user device 24). In one embodiment, the item was
originally purchased from the store 48, however, the item could
have been purchased through other means, such as another user or
another store. At 306, the store 48 receives the user's request via
any network connection or a direct connection. At 308, the store
commands the database (unit 52) to check for existence of the
user's rights to the item and to delete if present. Rights
information pertains to rights that the user has previously
attained for the digital content. A confirmation of the deletion is
returned to the store 48, at 310. If the store 48 maintains
inventory of used items at the used content inventory storage unit
50, the inventory for that related used item is increased by 1, at
312. At 316, the inventory update is complete and the store 48 is
notified of the completed process. At 318, the store 48 applies
credit to an account balance associated to the user at the storage
unit 52 and feedback is sent to the store 48, at 320. At 322, the
store 48 resets the DRM client on the user device 24, invalidating
all of the content keys stored on the phone. At 324, the DRM client
proceeds with re-initialization cycle. At 326, re-initialization is
complete, see FIG. 2. At 328, the user device 48 requests
re-delivery of owned content keys. The owned content keys are
digital content keys associated with the digital content that the
user still has rights to use.
At 330, a current key set is created based on the updated
information in the storage unit 52 and sent to the user device 24
for completion; similar to FIG. 3. A new second key is created,
encrypted, sent, and decrypted in accordance with blocks 134-144,
FIG. 2. Then, the unique or owned content keys are encrypted using
the new second key, sent to the user device and decrypted using the
new second key.
At 332, the user device 24 requests credit balance and at 334, the
store 48 reports credit balance to the user.
In an alternate embodiment, when the user elects to return a
digital content item, the user device deletes the unique content
key associated with the elected digital content item.
FIG. 5 illustrates a process 400 for purchasing digital content
identified as used content and stored in the used content inventory
storage unit 50. At 404, a user browses the selection of available
used content. At 406, the store 48 receives request to view
available used inventory based on a signal send from the user
device 24. At 408, the store 48 checks current inventory for the
used content from the used content inventory storage unit 50 and
results of the check are returned, at 410. At 412, the store 48
sends a menu of the currently stored inventory of used digital
content and prices to the user device 24 for presentation to the
user. At 416, a user selects one or more of the digital content
items for purchase. At 418, the store 48 deducts credit from user's
balance in the store 48. If insufficient balance, user will be
billed by a separate mechanism, such as a previously designated
credit card. At 420, results of payment method are returned to the
store 48. At 422, 424, the store 48 subtracts one from the used
content inventory for the just sold item. At 426, the store 48
commands a database (user's rights storage unit 52) to add the used
item to the user's rights file. At 428, the store 238 receives
confirmation of addition of the rights for the user. At 430, the
purchased used content and content key are delivered to user device
24.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the
disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention
should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that
follow.
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